A debate has emerged over whether provincial reconstruction teams (PRTs) are needed. The authors argue that civilian reconstruction agencies cannot do the same job as the PRTs. While these agencies remain essential for long-term economic and political development, the PRTs conduct reconstruction in ways that help create stability in the short term. Absent the PRTs, the "build" in clear-hold-build efforts deemed essential to effective counterinsurgency would fall flat. This study is based on over two months of field research in 2007 and two months in 2008 with four different PRTs-Khost, Kunar, Ghazni, and Nuristan-plus interviews with the leadership of 10 others.